


Another (Almost) Sleepless Night

by DrowningInShips



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Cuddling, Established Relationship, Gwaine/Percival is a smaller ship here, How Do I Tag, M/M, only a little metion of it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 03:45:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11592270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrowningInShips/pseuds/DrowningInShips
Summary: I mean the tags really explain it. They're dating and there is cuddling while on a hunt. That's... really all there is to it.





	Another (Almost) Sleepless Night

**Author's Note:**

> this is based on a comic [lao-paperman](http://lao-paperman.tumblr.com/) drew! it's been in my drafts for like a month bc honestly i forgot about it lol but anyways, enjoy! constructive criticism, as always, is encouraged. without it, i wouldn't be able to improve my writing!
> 
> this is unbeta'd so any mistakes are my own, and so is any shitty writing!

“Merlin!”

Merlin sighed and turned around, attempting to put a smile on his face that probably came out as more of a grimace. “Yes, Arthur?” he gritted out, irritation flooding his senses. Merlin had already been tasked with gathering firewood, making dinner, and setting up camp, and he was tired. He hated going hunting in the first place, but then having to make camp and dinner for the knights and himself? That was just too much. All he wanted to do at this point was to go back to his bedroll and sleep.

“Yes, Arthur?” he gritted out, irritation flooding his senses.

“You're on watch tonight.”

Oh joy, yet another task that meant staying up and being vigilant. He sighed again, and rather reluctantly replied with a yes, irritation apparent in his voice. He turned from the last bedroll he had finished unrolling and looked around for a tree to sit against. He surveyed the camp as he sat down, making eye contact with Gwaine, whose expression was sorry and sheepish on Arthur's behalf.

Merlin rolled his eyes at Arthur's back, then closed them and leaned his head back against the tree. This was going to be a long night.

**__**--**__**

About an hour later, Merlin heard a rustling coming from his left, and half-opened his eyes to see what it was. A couple of the other knights were still awake and talking quietly to his right, so he wasn't worried about a possible dangerous creature. What he certainly wasn't expecting, though, was the sudden lapful of Camelotian king he got, Arthur's face pressed into his leg, his hands loosely holding Merlin and clasped together behind Merlin’s back. Merlin smiled softly, too tired to be annoyed at the gigantic prat.

“Why did I prepare your bed if you're just going to use me instead?” he asked, lips twitching up into a half smile. 

“Shut up, Merlin!” Arthur huffed, voice sounding both muffled by Merlin’s leg and exhausted.

“Fine, but don't you dare start snoring, sire!” Gwaine looked up from where he and Percival were supposed to be sleeping and wrinkled his nose.

“They know we're here too, don't they?” he said aloud, not necessarily looking for an answer. Merlin wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue at Gwaine, as Percival simply said, “You heard the king, shut up.” Gwaine shook his head and grinned as he lowered himself back down onto his bedroll, snuggling up to his boyfriend.

Merlin shook his head and looked down at the sleeping blond laying in his lap, admiring the way the firelight glanced off his golden locks, before deciding he wanted to play with Arthur's hair and no one could stop him (except Arthur, but he didn't dwell on that).

As it would turn out, apparently Arthur really liked his hair being played with, because as soon as Merlin starting messing with his hair, he let out a sigh, relaxed his body, and burrowed his face further into Merlin’s leg. Merlin smirked, but the smirk changed to a soft smile at the contented noises Arthur was making in his sleep. As he played with Arthur's hair, the repetitive movement slowly lulled him into a restful slumber against the tree, with the warm weight of Arthur in his lap.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are always appreciated!
> 
>  
> 
> [my tumblr!](eye-of-terrific.tumblr.com)


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